Downtown restaurant brings big-city feel

Originally published Jan. 30, 2008 in The Orion.
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Small college towns are known for fraternity parties, hipster coffee shops and modest eateries, but a new dining option downtown is bringing the excitement of city life.

Located above Jamba Juice in the former Chevy's location on the corner of Broadway and Second streets, Crush 201 made its debut in late December, said owner Gino Fiori. Along with a handful of other business partners, the restaurant is co-owned by Celestino Gencarelli, of Celestino's Pizza.

The restaurant specializes in Italian food, but the owners do not want the restaurant to be classified as "just another Italian place," Fiori said. The food is based on traditional Italian recipes, but chefs experiment with ingredients to add a modern twist.

One of the most novel dishes on the menu is the grilled lamb "lollipops," he said. Priced at $15, the lamb is seasoned with rosemary, balsamic and tomato confit.

Even people who are not money-deprived students may find it hard to splurge on the full dining experience.

"It was a treat for me," said first-time customer Karen Mullner. Prices were reasonable, but she can only afford the outing about three times a year, she said.

Dining with Mullner was Cori Ong, who said she enjoyed one of the pork dishes and agreed the prices were high.

"It was a little pricey, but it was a lot of food," she said.

On the occasions when people cannot afford to have dinner at Crush 201, customers can mingle in the restaurant's lounge.

Besides a menu with appetizers, salads, brick oven pizzas, pastas and seafood, Crush 201 has a full bar and a long list of fine wines.

"Restaurants are about elements," Fiori said.

Most drinks are $7.75 and include such popular options as mojitos, cosmopolitans, Manhattans and martinis. In addition, Crush 201 has homemade tonics used in a variety of crush drinks. The "tonic crush" is mixed with Belvedere vodka or Tanqueray Ten gin.

Additional elements that make Crush 201 stand apart from other Chico restaurants are the location and aesthetics. Light coming out of the second-floor location immediately attracts the eye when walking downtown.

"We knew this building was a critical point for success," Fiori said.

The entrance is near the building's small parking lot and upon entering, bright lights and gold stairs lead to the second floor.

Once in the restaurant, the lighting becomes low and chattering voices of excited customers overwhelm the room. The bar is located on the left, the cozy L-shaped lounge is in the middle and tables are positioned on the outskirts, overlooking the street.

Another impressive aspect is the waterfall maintained between glass panes in the right corner of the room. The display is surrounded by rock-filled adornments that dispense light currents of smoky air.

Crush 201 is quite different from the humble Celestino's pizzeria, Fiori said. The upscale restaurant focuses more on the dining experience and serves about 1,000 meals per week. Everything works on a bigger scale with 50 employees.

"Economically this is a big machine," he said.

However, the commitment to the community is no different, Fiori said. Knowing Chico has an environmentally-conscious population, the owners make vegetarian food options available. In addition, much of the produce and meat is organically grown and purchased in Chico.

The business partners of Crush 201 are in tune with the people of Chico and have a lot of experience and pride in the outcome of the restaurant and bar, Fiori said. They also understand the importance of hospitality.

"No is not in the equation."